Portraits Plugged and Unplugged

These pictures are just some of the final images we finished up with at the end of the CCE/SCA Portraits Unplugged workshop held on the 4th and 11th June.

After an initial session where students were encouraged to use window light, on-camera speedlights and off-camera speedlight with diffusion we came out with some awesome images shot on location around the SCA campus.
(top pic by Glenda Jennings, next two images by Michael Ho, below by Kerrie Dixon).

Many of the best images from the final day were produced by a technique of under-exposing the general metering and then filling-in the face with hand-held flash. This proved relatively easy because most of the students had sensibly brought along wireless flash triggers that they bought during the week. (below, pics by: Glenda Jennings, Glenda Jennings, Clare Hovey, David Chahoud, Clare Hovey, Jenelle Sanna, Bonnie Humphries, Bonnie again, David C, David C, 2 more from Glenda, 2 more from Jenelle, and a great study in motion by Kerrie D, who did the last two images. I hope I got the correct credits!).

Having just spent a fair amount of money on a Pocket Wizard system myself, I was a bit envious to find students using a $50 wireless trigger effectively (this is from China of course - availabler through a Sydney store called www.PhotoShopStudio.com.au). It worked pretty well though it's main drawbacks are range (maybe 40 foot) and that it only works with the camera set on manual metering mode. You certainly don't get full TTL metering like you do with the Pocket Wizard - but at that price it's actually cheaper than a camera sync cable ($89 from www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au).
This was one of the best portrait sessions we have held at CCE - as the results you see here attest - excellent work from all of the students...
Many thanks to models Zoe, Yana, Sarah, and Fabio for being so patient! And a special thanks to hair and make up artist, Connie Giaquinto, for helping us out on the day. Much appreciated (If anyone needs a good h & makeup artist, contact Robin).